Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Balance Sheets) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 360,455	$ 178,756	$ 175,780	$ 145,623
Other current assets	166,424	164,138
Property and equipment, net	3,520,408	3,542,108
Assets held for development	1,090,198	1,089,819
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Other assets, net	116,513	120,639
Intangible assets, net	571,374	574,018	527,322	539,714
Goodwill, net	213,576	213,576
Total assets	6,038,948	5,883,054
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current maturities of long-term debt	53,211	43,230
Non-recourse obligations of variable interest entity, current	31,621	29,686
Current liabilities	406,971	399,104
Intercompany payable	0	0
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	3,480,965	3,347,226
Due to affiliate	0
Other long-term liabilities	485,601	496,749
Non-recourse debt of variable interest entity, long-term	192,479	192,980
Preferred stock	0	0
Common stock	863	863
Additional paid-in capital	649,944	644,174
Retained earnings (deficit)	563,884	557,055
Total Boyd Gaming Corporation stockholders’ equity	1,214,691	1,202,092
Noncontrolling interest	173,409	171,987
Total stockholders’ equity	1,388,100	1,374,079
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	6,038,948	5,883,054
Parent
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	299	364	76,514	11,232
Other current assets	12,531	29,818
Property and equipment, net	109,030	115,346
Assets held for development	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	4,105,135	3,777,298
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Other assets, net	34,171	28,501
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Goodwill, net	0	0
Total assets	4,261,166	3,951,327
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current maturities of long-term debt	42,500	42,500
Non-recourse obligations of variable interest entity, current	0	0
Current liabilities	4,422	146,054
Intercompany payable	108,999	455
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	2,685,346	2,527,076
Due to affiliate	177,556
Other long-term liabilities	27,652	33,150
Non-recourse debt of variable interest entity, long-term	0	0
Preferred stock	0	0
Common stock	863	863
Additional paid-in capital	649,944	644,174
Retained earnings (deficit)	563,884	557,055
Total Boyd Gaming Corporation stockholders’ equity	1,214,691	1,202,092
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders’ equity	1,214,691	1,202,092
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	4,261,166	3,951,327
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	116,395	128,185	74,480	88,281
Other current assets	84,486	70,448
Property and equipment, net	2,104,222	2,120,227
Assets held for development	926,393	926,013
Investments in subsidiaries	396,240	353,740
Intercompany receivable	306,790	187,911
Other assets, net	6,610	15,068
Intangible assets, net	486,818	487,907
Goodwill, net	212,794	212,794
Total assets	4,640,748	4,502,293
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current maturities of long-term debt	10,711	730
Non-recourse obligations of variable interest entity, current	0	0
Current liabilities	267,744	152,437
Intercompany payable	0	0
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	0	10,341
Due to affiliate	(89,666)
Other long-term liabilities	405,486	404,463
Non-recourse debt of variable interest entity, long-term	0	0
Preferred stock	0	0
Common stock	31,128	31,128
Additional paid-in capital	2,984,231	2,984,250
Retained earnings (deficit)	1,031,114	918,944
Total Boyd Gaming Corporation stockholders’ equity	4,046,473	3,934,322
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders’ equity	4,046,473	3,934,322
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	4,640,748	4,502,293
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (100% Owned)
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	209,735	3,944	3,926	3,679
Other current assets	16,255	13,459
Property and equipment, net	74,915	75,739
Assets held for development	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	32	32
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Other assets, net	6,633	5,993
Intangible assets, net	21,374	21,374
Goodwill, net	782	782
Total assets	329,726	121,323
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Non-recourse obligations of variable interest entity, current	0	0
Current liabilities	26,166	16,725
Intercompany payable	197,851	216,211
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	0	0
Due to affiliate	0
Other long-term liabilities	790	1,537
Non-recourse debt of variable interest entity, long-term	0	0
Preferred stock	0	0
Common stock	32	32
Additional paid-in capital	295,796	41,724
Retained earnings (deficit)	(190,909)	(154,906)
Total Boyd Gaming Corporation stockholders’ equity	104,919	(113,150)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders’ equity	104,919	(113,150)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	329,726	121,323
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Not 100% Owned)
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	34,026	46,263	20,860	42,431
Other current assets	53,152	50,413
Property and equipment, net	1,232,241	1,230,796
Assets held for development	163,805	163,806
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Other assets, net	69,099	71,077
Intangible assets, net	63,182	64,737
Goodwill, net	0	0
Total assets	1,615,505	1,627,092
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Non-recourse obligations of variable interest entity, current	31,621	29,686
Current liabilities	108,596	102,484
Intercompany payable	0	0
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	795,619	809,809
Due to affiliate	0
Other long-term liabilities	51,673	57,599
Non-recourse debt of variable interest entity, long-term	192,479	192,980
Preferred stock	0	0
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	476,733	476,733
Retained earnings (deficit)	(41,216)	(42,199)
Total Boyd Gaming Corporation stockholders’ equity	435,517	434,534
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total stockholders’ equity	435,517	434,534
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	1,615,505	1,627,092
Eliminations
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Assets held for development	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(4,501,407)	(4,131,070)
Intercompany receivable	(306,790)	(187,911)
Other assets, net	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Goodwill, net	0	0
Total assets	(4,808,197)	(4,318,981)
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Non-recourse obligations of variable interest entity, current	0	0
Current liabilities	43	(18,596)
Intercompany payable	(306,850)	(216,666)
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	0	0
Due to affiliate	(87,890)
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Non-recourse debt of variable interest entity, long-term	0	0
Preferred stock	0	0
Common stock	(31,160)	(31,160)
Additional paid-in capital	(3,756,760)	(3,502,707)
Retained earnings (deficit)	(798,989)	(721,839)
Total Boyd Gaming Corporation stockholders’ equity	(4,586,909)	(4,255,706)
Noncontrolling interest	173,409	171,987
Total stockholders’ equity	(4,413,500)	(4,083,719)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$ (4,808,197)	$ (4,318,981)